HealthNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94HealthWed, 05 Oct 2016 04:27:27 +0000Healthhttp://kut.org
Michael MarksFrom Texas Standard: In 2001, Jonas Koffler was working for a tech startup in Austin. He was 26 years old, ambitious, and climbing the company ladder by working over 70 hours a week. He'd work around the clock, taking cat naps rather than logging a full night's sleep. He was happy to do it, too. His hard work, it seemed, was getting results. And then – suddenly – everything stopped. One moment he was giving a presentation; the next, he was in a hospital. He'd had a stroke. The doctors told him that the stress and overexertion from his work may have helped cause it. Can Working Too Hard Give You A Stroke?http://kut.org/post/can-working-too-hard-give-you-stroke
15971 as http://kut.orgMon, 03 Oct 2016 18:00:00 +0000Can Working Too Hard Give You A Stroke?Ashley LopezState lawmakers are discussing today what to do about a plan to cut Medicaid reimbursement rates for groups that provide therapy to young children with developmental issues. Earlier this summer, the Texas Supreme Court halted a $350 million cut to early childhood intervention (ECI) programs right before they were supposed to go into effect. But it’s only temporary. That’s why the Texas Senate Finance committee will discuss what to do next. With recent news, though, the state has also been limiting access to special education programs, advocates say the state should reconsider those cuts now more than ever. The warning from advocates and providers has been similar for a while now. They say cutting costs for therapies early in a baby’s life isn’t’ really going to save the state money down road. “What you are actually doing is cutting programs that have the best chance at a lifelong impact for that child and family and you are just kicking the ball down the road and those interventionsAdvocates Ask Lawmakers to ‘Step Up’ and Fund Programs for Children with Special Needshttp://kut.org/post/advocates-ask-lawmakers-step-and-fund-programs-children-special-needs
15823 as http://kut.orgThu, 15 Sep 2016 15:45:44 +0000Advocates Ask Lawmakers to ‘Step Up’ and Fund Programs for Children with Special NeedsJoy DiazFrom Texas Standard: Editor's note: This story uses first names only because of an ongoing case with Child Protective Services. Since at least the 1970s, researchers in Texas have been calling substance use a "family affair." A study by the Texas Research Institute's Drug Abuse Clinic compared two groups of families similar to each other in every aspect – from socio-economic status to ethnic background. The only difference was that one group had at least one family member who was an addict. The study found fathers dealing with drugs were critical and arrogant, mothers were disenfranchised and children were bitter and resentful. That was in the '70s, but the story is not so different today. How One Family is Trying to Break the Cycle of Substance Abusehttp://kut.org/post/how-one-family-trying-break-cycle-substance-abuse
15749 as http://kut.orgTue, 06 Sep 2016 19:30:00 +0000How One Family is Trying to Break the Cycle of Substance AbuseAlain StephensFrom Texas Standard: Concerns are growing over something that's being called the "kill pill" – drugs laced with fentanyl, one of the most powerful prescription painkillers in the world. Pills laced with fentanyl were linked to Prince's death earlier this year. According to the latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, incidents of law-enforcement officers finding drugs containing fentanyl have jumped 426 percent from 2013-2014, the latest figures available. This Powerful Painkiller is Showing Up in Counterfeit Drugshttp://kut.org/post/powerful-painkiller-showing-counterfeit-drugs
15675 as http://kut.orgFri, 26 Aug 2016 19:04:19 +0000This Powerful Painkiller is Showing Up in Counterfeit DrugsAnna CaseyFrom Texas Standard: Marla Torrado and Felipa Puente are taking a tour of a Texaco station in the Dove Springs community of Austin. The predominantly low-income neighborhood is a far cry from downtown’s flagship Whole Foods Market and the city’s most Instagrammed restaurants. Dove Springs is situated in the southeast part of the city. To social scientists it’s a well-known food desert. There are few restaurants – mostly fast food – and just one large grocery store on the neighborhood’s edge, that’s difficult to reach without a car. But residents like Torrado and Puente are leading a movement to bring healthy food to every corner – or corner store. The store owner is showing them some of the healthier food items that need restocking: bags of brown rice, dried beans, and whole grain cereal. Torrado is the local food retail organizer for the Healthy Corner Store Initiative. Go Austin Vamos Austin, or GAVA, is spearheading the effort – it’s a grassroots coalition of nonprofits andHealthier Food Could Come to A Corner Store Near Youhttp://kut.org/post/healthier-food-could-come-corner-store-near-you
15644 as http://kut.orgTue, 23 Aug 2016 17:30:00 +0000Healthier Food Could Come to A Corner Store Near YouAshley LopezWithin a two-year period between 2010 and 2012, the rate of pregnant women dying in Texas doubled – and it’s not entirely clear why. Texas' Maternal Mortality Rate Doubled In Two Years. Researchers Don’t Know Why.http://kut.org/post/texas-maternal-mortality-rate-doubled-two-years-researchers-don-t-know-why
15568 as http://kut.orgThu, 11 Aug 2016 23:13:43 +0000Texas' Maternal Mortality Rate Doubled In Two Years. Researchers Don’t Know Why.Syeda HasanFor years, residents of Del Valle have been asking city leaders to bring a grocery store to their neighborhood. But it hasn’t happened. So why is it so hard to do? Why Is It So Hard to Get a Grocery Store in Del Valle?http://kut.org/post/why-it-so-hard-get-grocery-store-del-valle
15465 as http://kut.orgThu, 28 Jul 2016 10:31:00 +0000Why Is It So Hard to Get a Grocery Store in Del Valle?Laura RiceFrom Texas Standard: You've probably heard bats by the hundreds, flying out of a cave or from under a bridge. But have you heard a bat solo, squeaking to be fed? "She can chew and talk all at the same time," Dianne Odegard says, talking to the female bat she's feeding. "It’s the middle of the day, you’re not that hungry." Can Bats Conquer Zika?http://kut.org/post/can-bats-conquer-zika
15348 as http://kut.orgTue, 12 Jul 2016 16:00:00 +0000Can Bats Conquer Zika?Joy DiazFrom Texas Standard: When it comes to kids and their well-being, Texas isn't doing a very good job. In fact, the state ranks very close to the bottom of the list – at 43. That ranking comes from the latest "Kids Count" study by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Texas-based Center for Public Policy Priorities, which looked at areas like education rankings and the number of children without health insurance. Despite Some Gains, Texas Still Ranks Near Bottom for Kids' Well-Beinghttp://kut.org/post/despite-some-gains-texas-still-ranks-near-bottom-kids-well-being
15227 as http://kut.orgWed, 22 Jun 2016 18:15:00 +0000Despite Some Gains, Texas Still Ranks Near Bottom for Kids' Well-BeingRhonda FanningFrom Texas Standard: This morning, while most of us were sleeping, something happened in the state that might mean the difference between life and death for you or someone you love. Much has been said and written about the opioid epidemic in the U.S. Of the 25 cities with the highest rate of opioid abuse, four are in Texas –Texarkana, Amarillo, Odessa and Longview. And over the past 15 years, opioid overdoses have risen 80 percent. A drug called naloxone can help prevent many, if not most, deaths from overdoses in the event of an emergency, but the drug is highly regulated and available only with a doctor’s prescription. This One Prescription Could Save Dozens of Liveshttp://kut.org/post/one-prescription-could-save-dozens-lives
15213 as http://kut.orgTue, 21 Jun 2016 18:57:30 +0000This One Prescription Could Save Dozens of LivesBeth Cortez-NeavelFrom Texas Standard: In the late 1800s and early 1900s, most low-income, black and Hispanic people were segregated to the east side of what is now IH-35 in Austin. Now, the same people who’ve lived in the area for decades are being pushed out. Old houses are torn down to make way for new ones and property taxes are rising rapidly. The Unexpected Consequence of Food Deserts: Childhood Obesityhttp://kut.org/post/unexpected-consequence-food-deserts-childhood-obesity
15025 as http://kut.orgThu, 19 May 2016 20:02:03 +0000The Unexpected Consequence of Food Deserts: Childhood ObesityHady Karl MawajdehFrom Texas Standard: These days clean water from the tap is often a privilege that is taken for granted. We're accustomed to running to the sink whenever we're thirsty. But as the brown tap water in Flint and Crystal City show, we cannot always trust that clean water will be available. But water contamination isn't always something that is easy to sniff out because of its color or smell. For some, especially those living in rural agricultural areas, water may have substances that put pregnant women in danger without their knowledge. Pesticides, Herbicides in Drinking Water Could Lead to Birth Defectshttp://kut.org/post/pesticides-herbicides-drinking-water-could-lead-birth-defects
14934 as http://kut.orgThu, 05 May 2016 18:08:55 +0000Pesticides, Herbicides in Drinking Water Could Lead to Birth DefectsJoy DiazFrom Texas Standard: I'm the child of an addict. However, it is a life I only know anecdotally. My father was cured before I was born. But the man in front of me is in the thick of it. "It is a horrible life – look at me – I'm homeless, I squeegee windows at the red light. I spend between $80 to $150 a day (on heroin)," the man tells me. He says he’s ashamed, and that's why he won't tell me his name. He says he's in his 30s but his parched skin and sunken cheeks make him look decades older. At Faith-Based Rehabs, Addicts Hope to Find a Miraclehttp://kut.org/post/faith-based-rehabs-addicts-hope-find-miracle
14599 as http://kut.orgMon, 14 Mar 2016 18:45:00 +0000At Faith-Based Rehabs, Addicts Hope to Find a MiracleHady Karl MawajdehFrom Texas Standard: Every two weeks in Bexar County, a baby dies. That number is the highest in the state. The majority of deaths are attributed to unsafe sleep patterns or "co-sleeping," when the baby sleeps with parents or a sibling. Babies can suffocate or be smothered while sleeping with bigger people. A San Antonio hospital is taking a cue from Finland and offering "baby boxes" to new mothers. But what are they and how do they help keep babies safe? How a Cardboard Box Could Help Reduce Infant Mortality Rateshttp://kut.org/post/how-cardboard-box-could-help-reduce-infant-mortality-rates
14314 as http://kut.orgMon, 01 Feb 2016 20:15:00 +0000How a Cardboard Box Could Help Reduce Infant Mortality RatesFrom Texas Standard: Heavy rains capped by periods of hot muggy weather, spare tires holding standing water, mosquitoes and fleas carrying dangerous strains of diseases that threaten the local populace. You’re probably picturing the Philippines or maybe Haiti, but what if I told you this scene is right here in Texas? Why Texas is a Hotbed for Tropical Diseaseshttp://kut.org/post/why-texas-hotbed-tropical-diseases
14161 as http://kut.orgWed, 06 Jan 2016 19:15:00 +0000Why Texas is a Hotbed for Tropical DiseasesVeronica ZaragoviaResearchers are in Austin this week for the International Conference on Neural Tube Defects. It coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act — a law that led to the U.S. government acknowledging a link between folic acid deficiency during pregnancy and neural tube defects, like spina bifida. The law also led to mandatory enrichment of certain foods with folic acid, but not all foods — particularly, tortillas. Folic Acid, Tortillas & the Importance of Prenatal Vitamin Bhttp://kut.org/post/folic-acid-tortillas-importance-prenatal-vitamin-b
13748 as http://kut.orgWed, 28 Oct 2015 20:11:26 +0000Rhonda FanningFrom Texas Standard: Since the televised murder of two reporters last week in Virginia, a 17-year-old was killed in a shooting near an elementary school in southwest Houston, a police officer was shot and killed in Sunset, Louisiana, when he tried to intervene in a violent domestic dispute, and an on-campus shooting at Texas Southern University injured one person. Are We Becoming Desensitized to Gun Violence?http://kut.org/post/are-we-becoming-desensitized-gun-violence
13360 as http://kut.orgTue, 01 Sep 2015 14:55:59 +0000Are We Becoming Desensitized to Gun Violence?Laura RiceFrom Texas Standard Rehabilitation after a health issue or accident can be a long and painful process. For people recovering from a stroke or spinal cord injury, the challenges are unique. One side of the body can be affected more than the other, and damage to the brain can also cause roadblocks to regaining movement. But some Texas researchers have developed a new way to help stroke and spinal cord injury patients move again. This Robot With ‘Iron Man’ Strength Will Help Stroke Patientshttp://kut.org/post/robot-iron-man-strength-will-help-stroke-patients
13236 as http://kut.orgFri, 07 Aug 2015 18:04:46 +0000This Robot With ‘Iron Man’ Strength Will Help Stroke PatientsLaura RiceThis story comes from Texas Standard. At the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon, Texas Standard volunteer Megan Jo Olson approached a handful of women and asked them an uncomfortable question: “Have you experienced stress urinary incontinence?” The answer from a lot of the women was, “Yes.” Austin Mom Wants Women to Talk About a Common, Embarrassing Problemhttp://kut.org/post/austin-mom-wants-women-talk-about-common-embarrassing-problem
12439 as http://kut.orgMon, 06 Apr 2015 19:38:26 +0000Austin Mom Wants Women to Talk About a Common, Embarrassing ProblemJennifer LuddenThe new year is expected to bring yet another round of state laws to restrict abortion — and 2015 could also be the year a challenge to at least one of these laws could reach the Supreme Court.The ongoing spike in abortion laws started after 2010, when Republicans won big in the midterms. Since then, state lawmakers have passed more than 200 abortion regulations — more than in the entire decade before. And with more statehouse gains in the fall elections, abortion opponents expect another good year."The two states that stand out is where we are now able to stop bad legislation from happening," says Mary Spaulding Balch, state legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee. "It looks like we have a pro-life majority in the Senate in the state of New York, which could prevent a bill that Gov. Cuomo was pushing that would have expanded abortion in New York, if you can imagine."The same political calculus goes for Washington state, Balch says.Then there's Tennessee, where aBig Question For 2015: Will The Supreme Court Rule On Abortion?http://kut.org/post/big-question-2015-will-supreme-court-rule-abortion
11853 as http://kut.orgTue, 30 Dec 2014 11:30:36 +0000Big Question For 2015: Will The Supreme Court Rule On Abortion?